Basic Concept

2009 witnessed the first edition of RIVER FILM FEST. The overall success of this event indicates that a new tradition and festival have been born in south Bohemia. Allow us to present our festival philosophy: CINEMA JEWELS AND EDUCATION

Alongside our goal of providing a pleasant “Riviera” atmosphere on the banks of the Otava River, RIVER FILM FEST has from the onset presented itself as an event which aims to explore cinema heritage by fun means and thereby promote cinema and audio-visual education not only for high school pupils and university students but for the average adult member of the audience as well.

If we accept film as a synthesis of visual art, literary-dramatic works, music and acting then we should encourage viewers to identify these facets and reveal to them the sources upon which cinema draws to create that composite art form which has more than any other influenced the 20th century. In order to be able to identify true artistic values trained viewers need to perceive cinema within the context of its historical development because this evolution reflects more than artistic aspects; world-wide social changes lie imprinted within outstanding works of cinema.

Today´s young multiplex cinema-goers are pressured by the media to focus exclusively on new films, often of superficial, commercial quality. Just as educated individuals are expected to be able to differentiate Gothic from Renaissance or Mozart from Beethoven, so too would we like to think that future generations will be able to identify individual periods in the history of cinema and recognise the works of significant filmmakers.